Unruly Teenagers to Face Military Style Boot Camp

UNRULY TEENAGERS TO FACE MILITARY STYLE BOOT CAMP - According to news reports, the Education Secretary Michael Gove announced £1.9 million to fund a Military Style Boot Camp for teenagers could continuously get into trouble with the law or have problems being expelled from schools due to their unruly behaviour. The idea is to try and instil some form of discipline into these youngsters and provide a motivation so that when they leave boot camp they would do better in school. The boot camp is to be staffed by former military personnel, such as instructors.

The idea behind this programme is not just to provide discipline but also education, providing the teenagers with more self-respect and respect of others.

There are a number of Military Style Boot Camps in and around the British Isles and it is intended that the £1.9 million will be split between a key number of these to provide an enhanced service. In a final twist the UK Government is also intending to launch a programme whereby troops will be sent to the classrooms to help the education of troubled teenagers.

Now for me this appears, on the surface, like a sterling idea. In fact I would go as far as saying that the government, if it wasn’t so politically correct, could indeed almost eradicate the problems of unruly behaviour, anti-social behaviour and even significantly reduce levels of youth crime on our streets.

The real issue with discipline is that there isn’t any. Teachers, Police and the Courts are almost powerless to have any real lasting effect. Sending a kid to detention doesn’t work and indeed how many even bother to turn up? Most kids have zero respect for the Police and our Courts and simply incarcerating them is not the answer – generally they are released only to offend again.

The answer, as the Education Secretary Michael Gove has clearly stated, is to provide teenagers with motivation, discipline and education. What the Education Secretary has failed to mention is that while it will be spending the UK Taxpayers’ money, it will do so knowing that this will likely be another failure due to legislation that prevents the authorities from acting taking definitive measures to tackle the problems with youth crime and anti-social behaviour head on.

I do think the idea of a Military Style Boot Camp is a good idea, but it should be one where the gloves come off. Why not a Boot Camp SAS style? This would almost certainly provide the discipline that is required; teach them self respect and respect of those in authority. It is no good to have a Boot Camp that is going to be lined with cotton wool so that their rights are in no way infringed upon and that the Boot Camp personnel are so restricted by Political Correctness that no real difference or achievements can be made.

A Military Style Boot Camp should be a place where those offending would not wish to return to and where they would warn others of the hardship they face if sent. The overall outcome of a proper Military Style Boot Camp would be one where discipline and education is paramount and where the offending individual would have no choice but to comply. There is, and never will be, any real benefit to detention, whether in school or one of HM Prisons.